Bottle-filler.



9. SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED MAY 26. 1908.

T L VALERIUS BOTTLE FILLER. APPLIOATION FILED Nnv, 14, 1904.

NQ. essayes.

UNITED STATES Parana? oEEIoE.

THEODORE L, vA-LERIUS, or FORT ATKINSON,- WISCONSIN, AsSIeNCR TC TEE CREAMERY rPACKAGE MFG. COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

BOTTLE-Finne.

Specification of Letters Fatal-it.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knowirthat LTIIEODOREL. VALE- RIUS, a citizen of the United States, and a resi- .d nt of Fort Atkinson, vJe'fl'eison county,

isconsin, have invented a certain new, useu1,'and Improved BottleeFiller, of which the -cream bottles.

following is a specification. My invention relates to an 'apparatus-for illiifg bottles, andhas special reference .to improvements in machines for filling those which have' largel mouths-.such as milk and The invention relates' particularly to an -i im roved bottle filler nozzle or valve.

`ro'iia practical, commercial stand oint,

the probl" of providing for the rapi' eco- -nomical 'ingof milk and cream bottles.

`lpreparatory"rito their delivery to customers,

l lsaseriou's one. To be adequate and successful, any maehine Which' is designed` for this work must;be\capable ofiillin a very Furthermore, the machine must b ecapable o f easy o eration, and in addition to being .large number `Of bottles within t e brief period that elapses betweenthe receipt of themilk in cans at the bottlingstation and the Shipment or delivery ofthe bottled milk.

I thorough y sanitary, should operate Without wasteof milk and without making it necessary to wash the bottles after theyare filled and capped.

' The o ject of my invention isto provide a' bottle iilling machine whilclishall meet the foregoing re uireinents.

bottle ller valve whi waste-or overflow of liquid ,-which will lde -liver milk o'r cream into the bottle in such 'taken apart and Will meet all sanitary re-v quiremen ts;`which vshall be self-adjusting vwith respect to the position of bottle placed The s ecia objects o f the invention include the fol owing'z-LToi-plrovide an improved c shall'operate'without manner as to prevent excessive frothing Within the lbottle;'--vs'fhich may beA easily beneath it ,"-which may be attached to the reservoir'of almost lany bottle'iilli-ng ma- Other objects o I ny invention chine j-whlich shallbe of simple construction rand low cost ,-and, which shall be so con- Brieliy defined, -my invention consists al bottle filler valve, comprising a closure bearing tube that 4is slidably connected to liquid reservoir, iii-combination with aspring or weight which normally projectsthe, tube 1 and a vent pipe, suitably supported with re.

lation to the reservoir andhaving at its lower Patented Mayas, ieee'.

end a'valve adapted to close the'rst linen# tioned tube; and, further Amy invention consists in various constructions, arrangements and combinations of arts, all as hereinafter described and claims.

l declare thefollowing to be a full, clear Iand exact description of my invention'such as particu pointed out in the will enable others' skilled in the art to make and. use the saine, reference being made to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification.

vIn said drawings Figure' 1 is a sectional elevation of-a typical bottle filling machine embodying my invention; 'Fig 2 is an .en-`

larged Sectional view of my improved bottle filler valve. Fig. 3 is a Similar view, showinor the valve proper open. Fig. 4 is axsectionzil view on the line .r1-.r4 of Fig. 2", and Fig. 5 is a' perspectiveview oi! a spring clip. which 1 Aprefer to use for Supporting the several parts of the valve.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like-referenceunumerals designate the same parts in the different views, 2 represents a' suitable frame, adapted to support the liquid reservoir, 3i; in the lower part ofthe .frame is a vertically movable plate, 4, to receive .a milk bottle, 5. This plate is'operated by means oic the rod, 6, and pedal, 7.

For the purposelol" keeping the liquidat 'a givenl height in lthe reservoir, l use a {loatvalve, 8, which controls the. low of milk from the supply pipe or connection, 9, sup,

posed to be connected-with a larger reservoir or vat. sel, lined with tin and its bottomv is provided with a threaded opening, 10, to receive a packing'box or packed guide. This box has a threaded portion, 12 screwed into the hole,

The reservoir is usually a metal vesy 1l with. suitable packing-,13, between the Y bottom o'f the reservoir and the shoulder, 11

on the boxT The lower end of' the box,.11,

contains arecessto receive a packing ring, 14,

and a'sciew gland,1l5,'uby which the packing may be tightened. [i desired, a flexible ring may be placed in a Simple groove in the `box walls.

The upper ,end 'of the .packing bor; preferably extends slightly above the inner bottom or the reservoir as shown in Figs. 2

- peculiar cross-section, which tits snugly unen snugly in the neck ol" the bottle.

vstruction affords a shoulder, 23', which is ameter to provide a thin edge or valve-seat,

and 3. Thus constructed and, attached to the bottom of the reservoir, the box ll holds and `uidcs theupperend ol the liuqid conduit nozze, or valve-tube, ifi. lhis tube of considerably less diameter than the packing*- boX and may therefore oscillate therein. Obviously the join t between the slidable tube, 1G, and the stu'ling-box, ll, is made tight by the compressed pacl ing-ri1g, 14; and yet the tube-is adapted to slide or telescope freely in the smiling-box. The upper edges of the tube, 16, are slightly rounded oi" beveled to permit its easy insertion into the smiling-box.

Centered Within the liquid tube, 1G, by Wings, 17', is a smaller air-vent pipe, 17, provided with a shoulder or collar, 18, 'and supported by a readily removable clip, 19, rest ini upon the upper end olI the packing' bei, in ot er Words u )on the bottom of the reser- Voir.v At the llower end of the tube, l?, is a Valve-disk', com prising large and small threaded nuts, 2() 20, screwed upon the end of the tube, 17, and holdingT a I 'lexible disk or Washer, 21. The larger nut has its upper surface recessed to receive the flexible orcompres'sible washer, which latter constitutes the valve-seat.

The units or Valve parts are conical and the lower one preferably has one or more notches, 20, to facilitate the escape ol' 'air When a bottle is nearly full. The lower end of the ValVetube,'16, nori'nall y rests upon the aching in the top of the Valve part 2l). The ower part of the tube 16, is reduced in di 16, thereforjandalso a shoulder, i6. A. diskor ring, 22, is driven onto the reduced end of the tube,l6, against the sl'1oulder,l(, thereof, after which the tube is ready to receive thellexible, usually rubber, bottle closure or stopper, 23, This part is a'ring, ol'

the lower end of the tube, 16, and against the under surface of the disk, 22.

The upper portion, 23, or the stopper or closure, 1s substantially cylindrical ,in shape, and its diameter issubstantially that of the upper part ol' aniillc bottle noch. The lower art of' the closure, is of less 'diainu eter tianthe cylindrical part and is substantially hemispheric'al in shape to lit This conadapted to engage With the internal shoulder or cap-seat of the bottle neck. This shoulder, 23', to a greater extent thalreither the cyn lindrical orspherical portions of' the closure,

vinonly used in grougrs of tv fclfev or Vmore upon a single bottle filling ina-chum and .y

is depended upon to tightly close the top or mouth of the bottle, and. it should be here noted that the bottle mouth will be per-,l fectly closed thereby, even though the mouth rl of the bottle has been broken or chipped. y I regard this 'feature ol' :ny invention ol much importance, as in every large letol" l bottles many are found that `contain nicks or notches, which would not be closed by a device simply resting' upon the top ol.' the bottle neck. 'lhc spliericnl or conn-al por tion of the closure though. litten' to the bottle neck is chiefly useful in guidingr the vulve inte the neck ol the bottle. Inithis regard my peculiar closure, isY assisted, bythe conical disl-fr-'f'alve part, 20, which t actically forms an extension of the spherical portion oi: the comiiressible closure. The tube, 1.6, is surrounded by a spiral spring, 24, the ends ot which bear against the gland, 15, and the follower, 22, so that the spring' constantly tends to project the tube from the stufling box, but is prevented 1from :so-doing by the Vent-tube which is attached to the i'ifsri.\.foiif rlhe maximum movement ol' the tube, 1G, with respect te the Valve part, 2G, is determined by the distance between the upper end ot' the tube, 16, and the clip, 1Q, llE the tube,

i 16, is excessively elevated, its ripper end will engage and lift the clip, and therewith -the vent-tube, t7, and valve part, 20. ln some machines Where I ind it necessary to malte the pacliiugr of the stulling boi longer than here shown in which the tube, 16, would never engage the supporting clip, l provide a limiting stopon the Vent-tube, to be engaged by the tube, y16. 'lhe clip, 19, which supports the several parts otl the dcvic l is preferably a spring of' substantially the saine or less strength than-the spring, 234, and when such a cushion or spring clip used, it serves lo relieve the Valveseat, the blow of the 'valve-tube, when the latter is reseated after being` raised. l`orinaiiy the parts of the vdevice src held together and, supported by the clip, l/Yhen it is desired to take 'the Valve apart to clean or repair it, the clip, 19, is pulledout, whereupon the tube, 1-7, and the tube, lo, will drop, down, out of the stuiling boxn T ius the extraction of the clip, lf), is the only moi/'w nient that required ol" the operation, in orderto completely disnieniber the Valve and prepare the parte to be. separately washed end wiped. '.lhese valves are coni- With which they may be either c .f or assembled and put in place, adds .t to their value, insuring e great saving-'oi' time and effort on the part o'r' the operators.

It will/be understood that my valve may be employed in any ina'tehine wherein the valve and the bottle are moved toward and from each other, Whether the "valve low ered into contact-With the bottle, or the bot tle raised, as in the` machine l rein illusn trated. 'lhis beingr understor the operation ol" my in'if'ention as herein( Jodied may be described as follows. vin f l oi the drawings,they bottle and the streit perts olY the machine are shoyrn as they would appear 2l', from thc force ot' ers,

joined to the stuffing-box, '11, it -is neverthevreservolr to How into the bottle.

at either moment of initial or linal engagement of valve and bottle. The bottle is irst placed upon the plate, 4, at that time in its depressed position. lThe operator then ste s upon the treadle, 7, and thereby elevates t e bottle. The bottle may or may notbe exactly central with respect to the valve, in either case, 'the conical end of the valve, comprising the cone-shaped metal and flexible portions, 20 and 23 will serve to -center the )ottle neck upon the closure or stopper, 23, and, force the shoulder of the bottle mouth squarely against the shoulder, 23', of the closure. During this movement, the spring, 24, resists the upward thrust of the bottle, but upon further movement of the treadle, the bottle operates to lift the closure, 23, and the tube, 16,v against thel pressure of the spring, 24. Meantime, save -for its slight, if any, elevation by the spring clip, 19, the tube, .17, and the valve part, 20, remain stationary, hence the vertical movement of the liquid tube or nozzle, 16, opens the lower end of said tube, and allows the liquid from the Because of the shape of the liquid valve part, 2Q, the milk which emergesI from the tube, 16, is directed against the inner Walls of the bottle, and in this way the trapping of the air in the bottle is prevented and the body of air` occupying the central portion thereof, 'finds ready exit through the centrally disposed vent-tube, 17, which rises above the surface of the liquid in the reservoin When the bottle has been iilled with liquid and before the liquid has had time to rise within the vent-tube, the op erator releases the treadle, and dropping the bottle', permits the lower end of tube, 16, to reseat itself upon the valve part, 20. The 'lilled bottle is then removed and the operation repeated with an empty bottle. The only Joints existing in my iller-valve are closed by the substantial and reliable packing rings or `washers, 14 and 21', both of which are of very slight cost and which, whenthey become worn, may be quickl replaced by oth- While the filler tu e, 16, is tightly less permitted considerable movement therein because of itssmaller diameter, and my filler-,valve may therefore4 be described or qualified as flexible or as a valve which is flexibly jointed to the reservoir and hence adapted to adjust itself automaticall tothe differing positionsof successive bott es. In this connection, it should be noted that the valve part, 20,'is in ei'l'ect pivotally sus.-

pended, and therefore is adapted to follow the oscillatory or gyratory movements of the tube, 16, andthe closure.

As it is obvious that numerous modi'lications of my invention will readily suggest themselves. to one skilled in the art, I do not confine the invention to the specific constructions herein' shown and described.

Having thus described `my invention, I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a bottle filler, a reservo openin in its bottom, in combination with a vertice liquid tubehavingits upper end slid- ,liavng'an I ably arranged in said opening and in communieatlon with the reservoir, a closure of lexr-v ble material on the lower end of said tube, a spring exerting downward thrust on said tu be, a vent pipe arranged within Said tube a valve provided on the lower end of` sai i end of the tube and normally closing and sustaining said tube, substantially as described. Y 3. In a bottle filler, a reservoir, provided with a box or sleeve in its bottoni, in combination with a liquid tube slidably arranged inv said box, a bottle closure or stopper at the lower end of said tube, means normally projectingsiaid tube and a valve engaged bythe lower end of said tube and normal ysustain-S ing said tube, said tubeandvalve being relatively movable, substantially as described and for the purpose speciiied. Y

4. In a bottle ller, a reservoir, provided. with a box or sleeve -in its bottom, in combinationlwith a liquidtube slidably arranged in said box, a bottle closure or stopper at the lower end of said tube, means normally pro-f jecting said tube, a valve enga ed by the lo'wer end of said tube, and normaly'sustaining said tube, said tube and valve being relatively-movable, and a suitable air vent, substantially as described and for' the purpose specified.

5. In a bottle filler, a reservoir, in combi-'f nation with a packing box upon the bottom of the reservoir, a packing ring therein and of less internal diameter, a'liquid tube slidable i within said ring and smaller than said box, a closure 'on said tube, means beneath the reservoir to depress the tube, a suitable vent pipe depending from said reservoir and a valve on the lower end of said pipe and closing said liquid tube, substantially as described.

6. In a bottle iller, a packing box, ip 'combination' with al-liquid tube slidable in said box, suitable packing closing the joint between thebox and the tube, a closure eii said' tube, a valve at the lower end ofthe tube, a removable part at the top of said box a-'nd means connecting said part/Wand valve," to

- member the valve w moved, substantially as described.

tube, the removal of said part serving to disconnect said valve, tube and box, substantially as described.

7. In a bottle filler valve, a packing box and a liquid tube slidably connected, in combination with a bottle closure on said tube, a ventipe within said tube, means substantially ing said pipe with relation to said box, a tube closure, said means being removable to, release said pi e and a spring to dislien said means is re- 8'. In a bottle filler valye, a reservoir packing box, in combination with a liquid tube of substantially the same diameter throughout and slidable in said box, a vent pipe arranged within said tube, and supported from said box, a valve disk having a packing recess, on the lower end of said pipe and flexible valve seat in said recess, to close against the end of said tube, substantially as described.

9. In a bottle filler valve, a reservoir-p acking-box, in combination with a liquid tube slidable in said box, a bottle closure on said tube, a tube projecting spring, a vent pipe Within said tube, acollar or shoulder on said pipe, a readily removable clip arranged between said shoulder and box, and a tube closure on the lower end of said pipe, substantially as described.

10. In abottle filler valve, a packirg box to be inserted in the bottom ofa reservoir,

in combination With a liquid tube of substantially the same diameter tlirou hout and slidable in said box, a collar or dis arranged on said tube, a spring arranged upon the tube between said box and said disk, a bottle closure provided on the lower end of said tube beneath said disk, a vent pipe arranged within the tube and having a collar adjacent to said box, a stop or support for said collar and a tube closure provided upon the lower end of said vent pipe and serving as a stop for said tube, substantially as described.

11. In a bottle filler, a reservoir, in combination with a packing box arranged in the bottom thereof, a tube of considerably less v diameter than said box but engaged by the packing therein, said tube being permitted both lateral and longitudinal movement in the box, a bottle closure on the lower end of said tube, a suitably supported vent pipe, a valve on the lower end thereof whereon the lower end of said tube normally rests and a spring forcing the tube downwardly against said valve, substantially as described.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my -f hand this 3rd day of November, 1904, at Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, in the presence of two witnesses.

THEoDoRE L. vALERrUs.

- Witnesses:

CHARLES GILBERT HAWLEYL, CHARLES S. MURRAY, 

